The California Condor is another of those ugly birds with an interesting history. The largest North American ground bird, the California Condor's range is now limited to parts of California, Arizona and Utah. They're critically endangered; fewer than 350 of them are known to exist.
And according to The Associated Press, last month 3 California Condors died from lead poisoning after ingesting lead pellets in carrion. Lead poisoning also affects Bald Eagles in significant numbers. It isn't uncommon for big game hunters to dress their kills in the field, leaving entrails for other wildlife to eat. That's a good thing -- the bad thing is that lead bullets can fragment in the carcass, making them much easier for birds of prey to swallow.
Birds are particularly prone to lead poisoning, and it's a slow, horrible way to die.
I'm not opposed to hunting. I am opposed to poisoning critically endangered species, even inadvertently. It's time for hunters to switch to lead-free ammunition.
Doodled from a photo on the Wikipedia article for the California Condor.
